It's rare to find a sophisticated bar outside of the CBD these days, and it's even rarer to find…read moreone that won't break your weekly drinking budget in one night. Hawker Beer and Wine Bar is located in the suburb of Highett just 30mins from Melbourne CBD. The bar is named after Harry Hawker, a local of the area. Harry George Hawker, was an Australian aviation pioneer. He was the chief test pilot for Sopwith and was also involved in the design of many of their aircraft. After World War One he co-founded Hawker Aircraft, the firm that would later be responsible for a long series of successful military aircraft. The bar itself is small and is directly across the road from the Highett train station, which seems to have some type of train passing through every 15mins. The fit-out is minimalistic, with large windows that give you a great view of the comings and goings in the area. What is great about this bar is the large cocktail list. With mostly original cocktails with a few traditional with a modern twist. The service is friendly and attentive, and I get the feeling if I lived in the area this would be my local. Apart from the great cocktails it has a good selection of beers and wines. It also had a pretty awesome snack menu, being provided by Typhoon, the Vietnamese restaurant next door. If you live in the area chances are you have either visited Hawker or know of it. If you haven't been do yourself a favour and pay them a visit, it won't disappoint.

By far my favorite place that I've found in Melbourne, possibly in Aus! I can't speak highly enough…read moreof every aspect of this bar. Intimate setting, yet quite comfortable. Always an excellent music selection, with footy on the tv if that's what you're lookin for. The staff is WONDERFUL. so personable, quite willing to give their recommendations if you ask (and you should- they haven't steered me wrong yet!). The nachos, add beef, are easily the best nachos I've ever had- loaded with toppings, seasoned chips, absolutely delicious. Quite a diverse menu, with plenty of options depending on your hunger level. Great wine and beer selection, and a solid cocktail list too!

Food is awesome - Baked mushrooms - I could just have a plate of them on their own…read more The staff are easy to chat with and service was well timed.

Lovely restaurant to dine with friends and families. I have done a few visits with friends we all…read moreloved it. There's a solo singer that entertains your evening while you enjoy chatting with friends. Food wise, absolutely delicious. Atmosphere? Very comfy and friendly staff

The space is lovely and welcoming. The staff are friendly and helpful. It was very busy but they…read morehandled it superbly. Most of the menu is share platters and tapas style food. The fish and chips were excellent. Just about as good as you can do them, I reckon. The ham and cheese croquettes with red pepper sauce were also terrific together with the wombok salad which was fresh and zesty. A really good local restaurant. A very sound option in this area.

This place was awesome, nothing short of awesome. That had a lot to do with it basically being a…read morecraft beer bar. Well, it is a little more than that because I sort of got the impression that it was also a wine bar, but in a way it seems to go way beyond being just a wine bar and actually being a pretty decent place in which to get a decent beer. Yeah, this place turned out to be pretty good, and the service was quite fine as well. Sure it was a little small, but you can't have everything.

The Gallery at Craig's Royal Hotel at 10 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat was indeed worth the drive…read morefrom Melbourne for lunch. Chef Shannon Easton and Executive Consultant Chef Ian Curley have developed an imaginative menu and decisions and choices are hard. I chose the award-winning duck and mushroom pie with orange, prune and watercress sauce - a signature dish! My wife chose the Cypriot Haloumi with fresh figs - outstanding. Service was exemplary and Suzanne welcomed us warmly to this delightful venue, redolent of the colourful history of the hotel and Ballarat itself. A comprehensive wine list featuring a good representation of local wines is excellent. We'll be back, next time with friends, to enjoy The Gallery and the plethora of interesting activities and sights that Ballarat and environs boast of.

What else would you do in the country but drink wine? I…read moredon't know the answer to that but I do know this modern wine bar is the place you will spend most of your early afternoons in Daylesford if you have any leaning towards grapes. Ridiculously cheap produce platters full of cheese, paté and local oil and a glass of wine from their huge selection of sparkling, white, red, rose and more is a great way to start an evening. If you visit over the weekend then get there early as the spots available to sit are fairly limited. The young ex-Melbourne couple that run the place are totally cool and make me want to leave "city life" and resign in the hills to do the same. Their knowledge of every product (from food to wine and gifts) they have in store is spectacular, and you won't be able to walk out without buying something - they have a knack of conveying the passion of the producer to the consumer. I'm in the country and in love.

I love the name of Wine and the Country because it so accurately sums up what lays inside - wine,…read moreand bits of the country. When I say wine, I mean A LOT OF WINE. There must be well over 100 wines to choose, from all over Victoria, Australia and the world. On my most recent visit I indulged in (one too many) natural wines, which were absolutely outstanding. If you have no clue about wine (like me) the ridiculously helpful staff will help. Seriously, just tell them your favourites colours/flavours/price range and they'll pick something out for you to take home or drink in store - YES, it's a bar too! When I say country, I mean delicious, locally sourced produce from the nearby country-land - Daylesford and beyond. Cured meats, small goods and freshly baked breads - they'll make you a platter to accompany your wine likes nobodies business. If you went to Daylesford, you would honestly be a complete fool to not go to Wine and the Country.

This is a very fun place to do a tasting. Everyone was helpful and gracious and it was a beautiful…read moreplace with great ambiance and food available.

Foxey's Hangout is simply stunning and an absolute must when travelling through the Red Hill area -…read morethe view alone should be enough to get you there! We popped in on a Friday afternoon and the place was pumping, surprising for a week day! The service was fast and efficient and while we didn't get a seat outside on the deck, we got one right in the window so were still able to take in the breathtaking hilly views of the Red Hill country side. Foxey's offers wine tastings if you are on a cheeky tour, otherwise you can grab some simply yet delicious nosh to accompany your glass of wine, with all menu items costing $12. We ordered: + Bread with olive oil and pistachio spice + Mushroom sausage rolls + BBQ quail The sausage rolls were truly a standout and an absolute must if you visit. A lot of the wine at Foxey's is award winning. Best ask the friendly staff what might go best dependent on the flavours you like.

A wonderful range of interesting wines by the glass and bottle, perfectly serviced by two very…read moreknowledgeable and friendly women and their helpers who really know their stuff. What more could you ask for? Well, how about we throw in a good range of craft beers, some excellent cheese, smallgoods, and other snacky type things for sale, and very tasty shareplates that match the gorgeous wines perfectly. This place is a real survivor in an area where businesses turn over on a regular basis; all you need to do is go in, grab a glass and a shareplate and you'll know why. To make an evening of it, enjoy a pre-dinner drink and snack here, then grab a bottle or two and head next door to Sisco's for some excellent pizza and pasta. This is as good a wine bar as you'll find anywhere.

From the owner: Focusing on small producers doing interesting things, booth locally and internationally. Take home…read morea bottle with our cheese and charcuterie selection, or enjoy instore with one of our platters.

The creep of cool continues further north, with Cult of the Vine serving up a delicious and…read moreinteresting array of wines and a smattering of craft beer. Hidden at the end of Florence Street near the train station exit (genius maneuver to capture all those suited souls on their way home) you can pop in and take a bottle home, or crack it open right there and then to enjoy with proper glassware, ambient tunes and a plate of something to nibble on. The food options are limited, but they're really all I need when I want something simple and tasty to match with a good bottle. Charcuterie, cured fish, cheese and oddly enough whole boiled eggs which you can crack and peel while sipping on some vino. Apparently a boiled egg goes with any kind of wine but they'd run out when I visited so I couldn't put this to the test. Instead we ate truffled infused Spanish sausage, smoked almonds and loads of cheese along with some very good crackers. Service was relaxed and generous from owner Brad Lucas, who was happy to nerd out a little with us and offered samples of new and different drops. We left warm, full and contented... with two bottles of vino tucked under my arm.

Go here... Spectacularly curated 'natural' wine list…read more Some craft beers Ask the host for an egg. Take the train to Anstey station. Take the train home.

God bless Victoria. No matter where you are, there's always a craft beer brewery nearby. In this…read morecase it was in the bush in the middle of Red Hill. And I mean true-blue bush - tractors, a shed and a lot of blokes talking shop. While I am not certain that you can actually do a brewery tour here (there doesn't seem to be many staff) the bar area of the Red Hill Brewery is a lovely place to stop for a paddle or two. I tried a paddle of four of their freshly brewed beers and with the exception of one (their Temptation golden ale was a bit too fruity for my palate) loved all of them. We sat out on their lovely deck, admired the giant smoker on the side and cheekily eavesdropped on some of the local conversations. We left and couldn't help ourselves... we bought a bunch of takeaways. Their Cherry Saison is currently chilling in my fridge and I plan to sip on it in just a few short hours. This would be a fun place to get rowdy with the locals on a Saturday night and if you're in the area, it would be very silly of you to not stop by.

Red Hill Brewery's beers are some of our favourite hand crafted ales. I love them all from the…read moreBelgian style to more Germanic brews, to stout. And one of the things I like about coming here is that in addition to their usual delicious range are seasonal speciality brews. If you're interested in trying a selection of their beers, try a tasting paddle. The brewery is a small operation run by husband and wife team David and Karen Golding. It's an added bonus that their hop garden and bar are located in a beautiful part of the Mornington Peninsula, surrounded by wineries and farms. This makes a visit even more of a pleasure. You don't have to be a beer lover to stop in here, the cafe food is beer friendly and not typical of peninsula venues, featuring interesting locally sourced food, from snacks to grazing plates or something more substantial. If you prefer wine or cider to beer you're still bound to find something to please. Sit out on the deck and unwind or at certain times of the year you can also take one of their beer appreciation sessions/brewery tours. When we were there last a small wedding party dropped in late afternoon while the bride and groom were having their photos taken nearby - what a great idea! The cafe can get really popular for lunch in Summer so be prepared to wait if you are a large group with kids, they'll do their best but it's not a huge venue. I don't live nearby, but thankfully their beer is also available at selected venues in Melbourne. So coming to Red Hill Brewery still remains a special treat for me.